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Tuesday, November 26, 2013

When I look back on my high school and early college years, Hollister Co is one thing that jumps out in my mind. You see, I worked at Hollister for 3 years, and I loved every second of it. I loved the style, the atmosphere, the music, and the people I worked with. I spent some of the best summers of my life working at this store with my best friends (and boyfriend)... so you can imagine my excitement when Hollister reached out to me to create a Holiday Wish List - I couldn't say no!They have so many cute things on their website right now: super cozy sweaters, flannels, and sweatshirts, pretty headbands, gorgeous stacking bracelets, and knit scarves to keep you warm through the winter months. I've put together a collage of my favorite items - this is my official Hollister holiday wish list.

Honestly, I don't know what I would pick first! This whole list just screams "Elle", and I think every single item will be on my Christmas list this year. The jeans (number 4) are seriously going to be mine... they are fabulous!Hollister is going to be having an epic Black Friday party this year, complete with hot Hollister Lifeguards (um, yum! Except they are probably all in high school/college. HAHA! I feel old). They will be having amazing deals on the cutest outfits and accessories, and you can bet I will be there getting some stuff for my youngest sister for Christmas (and myself too! While creating this board I found so many things I want!). Plus, the doors open super early, starting at 8PM on Thanksgiving night at most malls around the country, so you don't have to wait until the wee hours on Friday morning to start your shopping.What's on your Black Friday wish list? What stores are you definitely going to hit?This post brought to you by Hollister Co. All opinions are 100% mine.Like Hollister on FacebookFollow @HollisterCo on TwitterFollow @HollisterCo on Instagram

Thursday, September 19, 2013

As a beauty product addict I try out a lot of different products, even if there is something in a particular category that has already stolen my heart as a "holy grail". One of these products is Duo lash glue, (which is 20% off right now here) and even though I am very loyal to good ol' Duo I decided to try something new during my last lash application. I was in Atlanta with Blair, and saw that she was using a new lash glue, the Andrea Modlash Brush-on Clear Adhesive. I was in her room getting ready and thought, "Well, I might as well try this instead of having to run back up to my room to get my Duo glue!" So, onto my lash the glue went and onto my eye the lash went, the end. Just kidding. Not the end. It was the beginning... of a fail product.Stick with whatchu know, girl. This stuff was bad in every possible way for me. It stung, it crusted up at the corners of my eyes, and it was a b*tch to remove. There was nothing about this that I liked, except that it was clear from the beginning, whereas the duo is white and then dries clear (but I mean, seriously, that's not even a big deal). My eyes did not like this stuff, at all.The other fail is also an eye product, in the form of eye makeup remover. I adore the CVS brand one that the Neutrogena Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover is supposedly a dupe for, so when I ran out of it and wasn't near a CVS (hello, Walgreens!) I thought this would be the closest to what I know and love. It's not. The CVS knock-off is on a totally different level than this stuff. I do not like this. It doesn't work well and I don't like the texture. What confuses me most is that this is a double-layered product which you are supposed to shake, and yet it is oil-free. So what on earth is the oily substance? Someone please explain this to me - I am quite weirded out. Either way, I don't like the texture at all - it feels a bit rough and slimy at the same time, which is hard to explain but not nice to use.I'll be using up the eye makeup remover but I won't be repurchasing it, but the eyelash glue... that's not going near my eyes again. My eyelids want to scream and run in the other direction when they see this glue based on how hard it was to remove my false lashes. Oh, and to make everything even better, I used these in combination... so I was removing my falsies (applied with this lash glue) with this eye makeup remover. Yikes. *Pours a glass of wine*

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

I'm back!! This blog has obviously taken a little breather over the last week. The biggest reason was that I was in Atlanta for 5 days, and then flew back to LA for 2 days, and now I am heading to Minneapolis tomorrow morning for 4 days. Blair and I are currently on our Fall Fashions Macy's tour, so we have been traveling non-stop for meet ups and media events. Nevertheless, I am back! I have kept up with my YouTube schedule (yay, me!!) even throughout traveling but I accidentally forgot my camera card with all my pretty pictures for blog posts, so that is why there hasn't been one in a week on here. I didn't want to just post a bunch of filler content on here just to have stuff go up - I want this blog to have meaningful posts (meaningful is a relative term, considering this is a beauty blog - LOL!!).Here are my two most recent #FallThatGlitters videos. If you haven't seen them yet, you should check them out!

I'm off to sneak a work out in and then I have to pack, edit Friday's video, and plan out some blog content. Love you guys! See you soon!

Saturday, September 7, 2013

This is something that would normally get posted over on I heart you coffee, but since I am doing this video as part of #FallThatGlitters I thought I'd post it here first. Check out that blog if you want to know why I call my condo "Dollhouse". I hope you enjoy this video! I would love your advice on what wall colors you think I should do in these rooms. I was thinking neutrals, but I would love a pop of color on the walls - I can't decide! Leave suggestions below if you would like!

Friday, September 6, 2013

Let me just start out by saying that I am so happy that this wasn't the very first cleansing balm that I tried, because this stuff is terrible, and it would have scared me away from them. I have been on a cleansing balm kick lately, and since I just finished up my Eve Lom Cleansing Balm I thought I'd give this Boots Botanicals Hot Cloth Cleansing Balm a try. It's affordable, at $8.49 for 70ml, and you can find it at drugstores - sounds pretty good, right? Wrong.

This stuff had the consistency of sticky beeswax. It went on wonderfully, melting into my skin and making my facial massage quite easy - until I tried to rinse it off. This stuff would not come off. I ended up having to cleanse my skin 3 more times (all with different cleansers) to get this stuff off of my face and my hands. I can't even describe to you what it's like to have a cleanser refuse to rinse off your face; it's never happened to me before. Even after cleansing 3 times to get this stuff off my face felt coated, so I did a purifying mask to get the rest of this gunk out of my pores. If you use a hair oil or CHI silk infusion - you know that coated feeling on your hands after that's a bit difficult to rinse off without soap? That's how it felt, times 10, on my face. I do not recommend this stuff, guys.

If you use this, and love it, please leave me a comment and explain how you get it off your face. Until then, this is going in the trash - it's that bad.

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

I haven't been shopping much since having moved into my new condo (hey, all my monies went there!), so there are several things that over time have been added to my mental "wish list". Plus, I have finished up SO many products - I have enough empties to film 3 different empties videos! Here are the things that I have been eyeing (and don't be surprised if you see these in a haul video soon!):Clarins Instant Eye Makeup Remover: I am completely out of eye makeup remover (can you believe that?!) so I have been using exclusively Bioderma, and as great as Bioderma is, it doesn't replace a good oil-based eye makeup remover. I have heard amazing things about this one, and since I haven't found one that I love enough to repurchase right now I thought I'd try something new. This will be the next one I buy. Bath and Body Works Candles and Hand Soaps: So I read somewhere recently that Bath and Body Works hand soaps have bad chemicals in them, so in an effort to be a little kinder to my body I went to Target and loaded up with both Method and J.R. Watkins hand soaps. I put one in each bathroom, and one by the kitchen sink, and while they have both been nice, I won't be repurchasing them. They don't make my hands feel quite as clean as the Bath and Body Works Foaming hand soaps, and the Method bottles started to look quite gross towards the end. Since a nice hand soap is something that I think is key in a guest bathroom especially (presentation, you know), and since I am quite a clean freak with my hands, I'm going back to the BBW hand soaps. As for the candles - that's self explanatory. I'm obsessed! Click here to watch last year's "fall" candle haul (they have a lot of the same scents again so it can help you pick some out if you are looking!).

Chanel Fall 2013 Collection: *Swoon* I don't plan on buying a whole lot of new makeup right now (I have more than enough to last me the next 50 years), but Chanel is the exception. I love it. I love everything about the brand, and I love this collection. I'm especially eyeing the new cream blushes. Essie "For the Twill of It": A nail polish I've been coveting. It's described as an olive/brown with reflective green shimmer, and reminds me of Club from MAC.Emma Hardie Amazing Face Moringa Cleansing Balm: I have used up the last bit of my Eve Lom cleansing balm, and all of the samples I had of other cleansing balms, so I am in the market for a new one. This one in particular seems to have a bit of a cult status among the skincare bloggers, so it is definitely at the top of my wish list. Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair: Another highly coveted item in the skincare world, this one has my name on it. Plus, Macy's has a free gift with purchase right now plus 6% cash back through Ebates: Link! Those are deals I can't ignore!Some dancing workout DVDs: Do you guys have any suggestions for these? I'm thinking maybe Julianne Hough's version, but I'd love to know if you have one you swear by that's fun but kicks your booty!That completes my current wish list. I would love to know what's on yours! Let's live vicariously through each other by telling everyone what is on our current wish list! Leave me a comment below with the items you've been eyeing or saving up for.P.S. I hope you guys have been loving #FallThatGlitters! I sure have been!

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Hi guys! I thought I'd do another Tuesday Tea with Me, right now (9:50pm PST) for the next hour! You guys know the drill right now - join in! For any new people to my blog here is the way it works:Starting right now and running for the next hour, I will be answering questions and giving advice to any comments left below (on this post). Try to limit your comment to one question.

Make sure to skim through the last couple tea parties questions before deciding what to ask... one question per person please! Last time I got a lot of repeat questions so if you read through those you can get lots of answers and then ask me one that you haven't seen me answer yet, so in a way you get more than one answered!

Thursday, August 29, 2013

Starting this coming Monday, my new "Fall Schedule" will be in affect. There will be new videos every Monday and Friday, and new blog posts every weekday here on Dreaming in Blush. I'm so excited for this! Leave me a comment with video requests, and tell me what you think of this series!

Thursday, August 22, 2013

The Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask is a product that I have been dying to get my hands on ever since I first read about it on several beauty blogs. It was just a matter of time before I picked it up, and sure enough, a few weeks ago I did.

I have tried overnight masks before, with the Sisley Express Flower Gel mask coming to mind as the best, and I have always loved them. I adore the idea of going to sleep with an intensely hydrating mask on your face to moisturize and soothe it through the night, leaving you with baby soft, dewy, and plumped skin in the morning. The problem with the Sisley one was the price… it was $136 for 2.1 oz. I know that’s a lot, and because of that I found it hard to recommend it whole-heartedly (even though it’s lovely).

So imagine my happiness when I tried this one and realized it worked just as well! And it’s only $24! And for more product - that's the price for the bigger size, 3.4 oz. I’m sure the Sisley one has ingredients that are lovely for your skin, and trust me, I’m going to use it up completely and enjoy every drop, but this one is a much more budget-friendly option that does the job just as beautifully.

It smells of fruit and the scent doesn’t linger too long after application. I like to apply this quite thick, after my serums, in place of my moisturizer, and let it “sink in” for about 10 minutes. By that point my dry skin has "drunk it all up" (Get it? Cause it's called "Drink Up"?), so I apply a bit more on top and go to sleep. It goes on clear, but is a tad bit sticky so I always rinse my hands after and let it sink in for a bit before snuggling into my pillow. In the morning my skin appears more healthy and plump, and just better looking overall. I swear guys, this stuff is what dreams are made of.

This mask has avocado and apricot kernel oil to deeply and instantly hydrate your skin, and Japanese seaweed to repair your skin's barrier and prevent future dehydration and signs of premature aging. It also has my favorite ingredient ever, hyaluronic acid. If you look at the ingredient list it contains a ton of different flower waters and extracts, which the Sisley mask also has, and are meant to be lovely for your skin.

I highly recommend this… it’s for all skin types, but especially for you normal to dry skinned girls – try this! Your skin will thank you! This is honestly one of my all time favorite skincare products - you need this.

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

You
guys know of my love for my Cane & Austin Retexturizing Treatment Pads,
which are filled with Glycolic Acid, so it probably comes as no surprise that I
have dabbled in a few other chemical exfoliates. Since my skin is sensitive and dry, I
find that chemical exfoliates are a lot more gentle on my skin than physical
ones (you know, the ones with the little gritty bits that scrub your skin?) I
have a few more that I am also trying out, including the infamous Alpha-H and the Pixi Glow
Tonic, but since those are harder to get in the States I picked up one that’s
readily available – the Clarins Bright Plus Gentle Renewing Brightening Peel.

This
one has Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA), and it works as a very
gentle exfoliate. I find this much more gentle than the Cane & Austin pads,
so I don’t mind using this liberally – twice a day if I feel up for it. I apply
it after cleansing and before serum/moisturizer, as you do with all
toner/exfoliates.

This
one in particular is meant to eliminate dead skin cells to reveal luminous,
bright skin with a soft, rosy glow. It is also said to help tighten pores, and
to leave your skin smoother than before. It has “tamarind, white nettle, and
mimosa tenuiflora extracts, which help your skin naturally exfoliate while
surrounding it in gentle, soothing freshness.”

My
thoughts? I think it’s a very nice, soothing product, but it’s a bit too gentle
for me. I like a bit of a “kick” or a “sting”, so this product doesn’t give me
the same satisfaction as the Cane & Austin pads. That being said, I am very
happy to have this for nights where I don’t want to bother my skin too much – I
just want to cleanse and go to bed. It refreshes my skin without irritating my
skin in the slightest. I could also see this being quite enjoyable when I’m not
feeling that well and therefore don’t want stingy things on my face. This would definitely be a great "starter" toner, for people who want to start with the chemical toners but are a bit wary of them. Oh, and don't let the word "peel" in the name scare you - this is VERY gentle.

In
a medicine cabinet full of skincare goodies, this one is labeled my “gentle
chemical toner”, otherwise known as my “toner for when I can’t be bothered to
treat my skin”. And by treat I mean, “get in there and rough it up a bit”… not
“treat” as in “apply a luxury product” – this product is still quite luxurious.
I recommend.

P.S. It does worry me a bit that "alcohol" is it's second ingredient... although it is followed up with glycerin in third place, which counters that nicely. But still.

Also, I think this is the same toner as the "Clarins Gentle Exfoliator Brightening Toner"... not sure if it's a repackage or if that's the British version since I read about it over on Caroline Hirons blog. But the ingredients look the same, and Caroline loves it, which makes me feel much better about it having alcohol so high up on the ingredient list.

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

This morning I thought I'd do a second edit of "New Products I'm Testing". Since starting my blog I've been sent a slew of new products from some great PR companies, including a bunch of skin and hair stuff, which is great for this beauty-obsessed girl. These are the next ones up for testing... a great mix from some amazing brands. I can't wait to give all of these a proper try!

From left to right, we have:

Darphin Aromatic Cleansing Balm with Rosewood*: I've already given this a go but I need to try it a bit more before giving it a proper review. It's a balm cleanser, which I love, that emulsifies into a purifying milk to remove dirt, oils, and eye makeup without causing irritation. It has marula oil to condition and hydrate your skin, while sage, ylang ylang and rosewood oils tone, brighten and rejuvenate your complexion. I was recommended this on twitter actually by a reader so I'm quite enjoying using it.

Kiehl's Skin Tone Correcting & Beautifying BB Cream*: I was sent this in a few different shades, but I'm thinking either "Fair" or "Fair/Light" will be "the one". This is a dual-action product that conceals with lightweight coverage while clinically correcting skin tone irregularities. It has a high level of Vitamin C, which is great for your skin, along with SPF 50 PA+++ to help fight future sun damage. It's also paraben, silicone, and mineral oil free, and since my skin is slightly allergic to silicones that is great news for me. I think on paper this product sounds like such a winner, so I will definitely let you know my thoughts after testing it.

Bumble and Bumble Surf Foam Wash Shampoo and Creme Rinse Conditioner*: I have heard amazing things about this duo from just about every beauty blogger, as it seems to be making its rounds around the online beauty community, so this is another one that I was particularly excited to receive. It's meant to give you tousled, beachy waves with lots of texture and bounce. This would have been great to have over the summer while I was actually at the beach, but maybe it's best to test it when my hair isn't actually being immersed in ocean water daily.

Bumble and Bumble Thickening Dryspun Finish*: I hadn't heard anything about this prior to being sent a sample, but I like the idea behind it. It's basically a translucent dry spray that adds fullness and texture to your hair, similar I imagine to the Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray. It has raw silk powders with light holding polymers to adhere to your hair and make it look weightless and full for the whole day. Some bold claims - I can't wait to test this one out.

NUDE Perfect Cleansing Oil*: This is another one that I have read positive things about and so I was quite excited to receive a sample. It's packed full of omega 3 and 6, and is meant to deeply cleanse and hydrate. It is 100% natural and good for your skin. This is something I can't wait to try! *Puts by sink to use tonight*

Benefit Cosmetics Bathina Body Oil Mist*: Benefit has the best packaging, don't they? This is marketed as a "Silky and Seductive Body Oil Mist" that absorbs immediately for immediate hydration. It has sweet almond, olive and avocado oils to leave skin feeling soft and moisturized, plus Vitamin E to help keep it firm. It also has a slight sheen and a bit of a fragrance, to up the flirtation factor. I plan on trying this after my next shower - I think I'll know immediately if I like it.

You might see some of these in upcoming blog posts - Write a comment below if there is one in particular you would like to see a full review on!

Monday, August 19, 2013

Starting right now (9pm PST), and running for the next hour, I will be answering questions and giving advice to any comments left below (on this post). Try to limit your comment to one question.

Make sure to skim through the last couple tea parties questions before deciding what to ask... one question per person please! Last time I got a lot of repeat questions so if you read through those you can get lots of answers and then ask me one that you haven't seen me answer yet, so in a way you get more than one answered!

Jeez this a hard product to photograph. Something about the silver of the canister and the reflective light I use to brighten my photos made this impossible to photograph. Alas, it is done, albeit not that beautifully.

I’m quite on the fence with this product. On one hand, I adore Kate Somerville, and both her Goat Milk Cream and her Nourish Daily Moisturizer are regulars around my bathroom sink, but this particular product gives me pause.

Maybe it’s the price. Maybe it’s the scent. Maybe it’s that I don’t know what Peptide K8 is. But whatever the reason, I am stumped.

First of all, the Kate Somerville Deep Tissue Repair Cream with Peptide K8* is $150, for the smaller size. The bigger size is $500 (I know!). That’s INSANE. I was gifted this by a PR girl (I purchased my other Kate Somerville creams), so I didn’t pay for it, but still. Now, I’ll be the first to spend huge monies on a cream if I think it’s heavenly, and in fact have over and over with my beloved Pevonia Myoxy-Caviar Cream, which costs nearly as much at $188 for 1.7 oz (the smaller Deep Tissue is only 1 oz, so it still works out to be more expensive), so it would be hypocritical to say that the price is the reason I’m on the fence with this product. But, on top of that, it has a funny smell. Personally I think maybe it’s just my nose because I tend to think that all of Kate Somerville’s products have a “funny” smell, but since her other products work so beautifully I ignore it. It is said to be "floral" on Kate's website. Then again, the website claims her "Goat Milk Cream" has no scent - and that is definitely not true.

According to her website, this anti-aging moisturizer has an exclusive blend of peptides designed to provide intense hydration. The Peptide K8 is designed to dramatically improve skin's texture and tone, while Babassu Seed and Hemp Seed help increase the look of firmness. It also has a Ceramide-infused Peptide which is formulated to reduce the visible depth of wrinkles (fascinating...). And lastly, an advanced moisture complex helps to prevent water loss and helps keep skin more evenly balanced.

The product works well – it goes on beautifully, sinks in quickly, and makes my skin feel baby smooth, but I’m just not sure it’s $150 worth of wonderful. Maybe if I was a bit older and really needed the anti-aging benefits, but for now I think other creams work better for my skin. Maybe if I had wrinkles to reduce the depth of, ya know? Cause that's cool. (And for those of you that are all “OMG you look SO OLD! You are aging so BADLY!” - Bah humbug to you. I’m sure you look like a rose.)

I am the type that likes every aspect of my skincare routine to be one big "ahh" moment; I think the more you enjoy it the more likely you are to actually DO it, so the scent thing bothers me. Scents are personal, and you might give this a sniff at Sephora and love it, but I find myself reaching for my Pevonia Caviar cream in the evenings instead of this stuff. Now that is one product that I LOVE the smell of. It smells like my favorite facial, and instantly relaxes me.

So yeah, those are my thoughts on this product. It’s nice, I’ll use it up (happily), and I'll think $150 thoughts every time I apply it, but I won’t be purchasing it when I’ve used it up. I just think her other creams are better.

BTW I highly recommend her Goat Milk Cream if you have sensitive/dry skin and her Nourish Daily Moisturizer if you have sensitive/dry skin and want anti-aging benefits as well… both are lovely and much more affordable, while still being high-end.